Refrigerator latch



Jan. 18; 1949. SH A 2,459,190

REFRIGERATOR mwcn Filed March 14, 1945 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /J r INVENTOR.

rdzavaw Jan. 18, 1949. I 1 A. c SHUART v 5 REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed March 14, 1945 i 5 she e'bssheet 2 "ll )0 4 v r f 1? 2:

Jan. 18, 1949. c, s u 2,459,190

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed March 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet s I A r L/i INVENToR. BY M 0. M

Jan." 18, '1949 A. c. SHUART 2,459,190

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed March 14, 1945 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 18, 1949. A. c. SHUART 2,459,190

REFRIGERATOR LATCH I Filed March 14, 1945 5 She'ets-Sheet s 6 C Q n INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 REFRIGERATOR LATCH Arthur C. Shuart, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1945, Serial No. 582,732

Claims. 1

My invention relates to a household refrigerator having a treadle-operated door latch.

The door of a household refrigerator should be easily opened and closed to afford satisfaction in the daily use of the refrigerator. Accordingly, it is usual to provide a latch mechanismwhich requires application of a force to unlatch the door, but which automatically latches when the door is swung closed. A refrigerator door presents a special latching problem in that the door must be sealed when it is closed to minimize heat leaking into the refrigerator. This sealing is usually afforded by a gasket which is compressed between the periphery of the door and the door 'jamb when the door is closed. No matter how light and flexible the gasket, considerable force is required to evenly compress it. This gasketcompressing force has to be supplied by the latch in the case of a self-latching door. The latch has to get from somewhere the necessary energy to produce such force 'and, of course, gets it from the user who stores the energy in the latch when he cocks the latch to unlatch the door. Either that, or the user has to supply the force when he closes the door.

It is known to provide a pedal for unlatching a refrigerator door to permit the use of both hands for carrying things to be put in the refrigerator. Heretofore, either the pedal stuck out at one place in front of the refrigerator or it was beneath a refrigerator elevated on legs. In either case, one had to approach the door at one spot and, particularly at night or with an armload, feel around with a foot for the pedal.

It has been proposed to provide such a dooropening pedal on the more modern refrigerator which is enclosed to the floor, the pedal being located in a "toe space beneath the bottom or apparatus compartment door. This merely aggravates the pedal searching by foot. Moreover, the linkage between the pedal and latch has to be massive to transmit the latch-cocking force, and requires heavy foot pressure because the force is greatly decreased in transmission in order to get distance of movement.

I have invented a self-latching refrigerator having a treadle door opener that does not stick out appreciably in front of the refrigerator. It does not require the foot to be lifted completely off the floor. It is available no matter from what direction the door is approached. The toe is guided naturally on to the treadle and the latter is shaped to naturally convert to a large vertical component foot pressure applied in any fashion. This full force component is transmitted undiminished to cook the latch by a pulling mechanism which permits the use of very light material. The treadle is counter-balanced and pivoted at a point far behind the front of the refrigerator giving the tread portion nearly straight line movement and smooth, quiet action. Further, the tread appears as a decorative portion of the refrigerator base rather than an isolated appendage.

The aboveand other objects and advantages of the invention are attained as set forth in the detailed specificationtaken with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the cabinet closure members, partly in section and taken substantiallyon lines 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the base of the cabinet showing the treadle supporting platform and attached treadle in the top plan view;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line generally a domestic refrigerator cabinet provided with a hinged door II for gaining access to a food. storage compartment Illa, a closure member I2 for an apparatus compartment lllb and a supporting base I3. Door II is provided with a latch mechanism l4 (Figs. 7 and 8) to be described in detail hereinafter. A treadle I5 is positioned in front of base member l3 and traverses the entire front of the cabinet beneath closure member I9. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, treadle I5 is rigidly connected to a pivoted platform I6 by means of a pair of brackets l'l. Platform [6, which is located within the base of the refrigerator cabinet, includes four channel members Ilia, I6b, Hic and ltd, with portions thereof arranged in back-to-back relation, and a pair of gusset plates Hie and IS The channel members and the gusset plates are secured into a rigid structure as byspot welding or otherwise. Platform It is rigidly secured, as by welding, to a shaft l8 which, in turn, is rotatably supported at its two ends by a pair of brackets l9. As shown, the brackets l9 are mounted on the rear portion of the supporting base. Treadle I is provided with a decorative corrugated tread 20 formed of stainless steel or other suitable polished material and inclined upwardly from the front edge thereof at an angle of approximately thirty degrees with the horizontal. A pair of brackets |3b provided with rubber cushions |3c are attached to the front of base channel member l3a for' limiting downward movement of the treadle. A tension spring I911 is attached at one end to channel member In and at its opposite end to gusset plate Iii for counter-balancing the treadle.

Treadle i5 is connected to latch mechanism l4 by means of a rod 2|, a lower hook-member 22, an upper hook member 23, a flexible vertical cable 24, a bell crank 25 and a flexible horizontal cable 25, Bell crank 25 may be replaced by a pulley (not shown) 'in which case a single flexible cable which passes over the pulley is used to connect hook'member 23 to latch mechanism l4. As

7 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lower end of rod 2| is connected to treadle l5 by means of a pin 21 which is journalled in a U-shaped bracket 23 which, in turn, is welded or otherwise secured to the under-surface |5a of the treadle. The upper end of rod 2| is flattened and provided with a serrated face 2|a adapted to mesh with a flattened and serrated lower portion 220 oihook member 22. The upper flat portion of rod 2| is provided with a pair of circular openings and'the lower flat portion of hook member 22 is provided with a' pair of elongate openings through which pass a pair of bolts 29; the arrangement being such that the combined length of rod 2| and hook member 22 may be adjusted. Hook member 22 is square in cross-section and is guided in a square opening in a bracket 33 which, in turn; is welded or otherwise secured to the refrigerator cabinet. A leaf spring 3|, supported by bracket 39, yieldably holds rod 2| and hook member 22 in proper position relative to upper hook member 23. i

As shown, the lower right corner of door II, as viewed in Fig. 1, is provided with ahousing memwelded orotherwise secured brace 40. Pivot pin 39 is'provided witha torsion spring 4| having one end, 4|a, attached to bell crank 25 and the opposite end, 4"), attached to bracket 38; the arrangement being such that bell crank 25 is biased for clockwise rotation which, in turn, tensions cable 24. Horizontal cable 29 is connected at one end to bell crank 25 by a stirmp 42 which is generally similar to stirrup 31. At its opposite end, cable 26 is connected to latch ,mechanism l4 by a stirrup 43. Stirrup 43 is means of a pair of bolts 41.

formed with two parallel side members 43a and bar 32 adapted to form a recess to receive the I upper and lower portions respectively of hook members 22 and 23. Hook member 23 is square in cross-section and is guided in a sleeve 33 having a square passage formed therein. Sleeve 33, which is screw-threaded at its loweren'd, projects through an opening in housing member 32 Nut 35 is formed with a socket (not shown) to receive a ball (not shown) formed on the lower end of-cable 24.

The upper end of cable 24 is formed with a ball 24a received'in a socket 31aformed in a stirrup or'connecting member 31 for connecting cable 24 to hell crank25. Stirrup 31 is formed with a lateral slot (not shown) whereby the cable may be threaded into the stirrup.

Bell crank 25 is pivotally supported 'on a bracket 33 by a pivot pin 39. Bracket .33 is a yoke 5|.

provided with a roller 52 journalled on a pin 53 formed with an L-shaped slot 43a and with a socket 43b; the arrangement is such that a ball 25a formed on the end of cable 29 is threaded through the slot and received by the socket.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 7 and 8 of the drawings, latch mechanism l4 includes a housing member 44 formed of two parallel sides 44a and 44b connected by an integral bridge member 44c.

Bridge member 440 is provided with a rubber.

cushion 4411. Housing 44 is formed with, two oppositely-projecting flanges 45 and arranged .in parallel relation with a flanged portion Ila of door II and connected to said ilanged portion bymachine screwsinot shown). The opposite end of housing 44 is secured to cross brace 43 by A latch bolt 43 49b (side 43b not shown) connected by an integral bridge member 48c is slidably mounted in. v

a bolt guide 49. Bolt guide 49 is formed of a channel member which fits between and is welded to the sides 44a and 44b of housing Latch bolt 48 is pivotally connected at one end to stirrup" 43 by a pivot pin 50 which, in turn. is mounted on The opposite end of latch-bolt 43 is secured between the two sides of saidbolt.

Yoke 5| is formed of'two parallel sides 5|a and 5|b (side 5|b not shown) connected by an integral bridge member 5|c' and pivotally-mounted between the sides of housing 44 by a pivot pin 55 secured to the housing. A pivot pin 55 is se-' I is adapted .to pivotally support one'end' of 8.. spring guide 55. The opposite end of guide 55 is provided with a pair of opposed slots 56a (only one of which is shown) to receive a lug 51 formed on bolt guide 49. A compression spring 58 is' I positioned on spring guide 55 and is held under compression by bolt guide 49 and pivot pin 55.

As shown in Fig. 7, the arrangement of slots 56a and of lug 51 is such that limited movement. spring guide 55" and bolt is provided between A lever or trigger 59 straddles yoke 5| and ispivotally mounted betweenv the sides of housing 44 by a pivot pin- 9|. Trigger 60 isformed of two parallel sides 50a and 50b (side 5927 not shown) connected by an integral bridge member 590. Bridge member We is provided with a projecting lug or trip member 6311. A torsion spring 52 coiled about pivot pin 6| and having' one end; v 4

32a, in contact with-bridge memberliflc and its opposite end, 521), in contact with an inner flange surfaces Ble (only one of'which is shown) formed on outwardly-projecting bosses 5|f on each'of the side members 5la and-5lb of yoke. 5|. -A;s shown in Figs. 7 and 8. inner panel Nb of door v.

II is provided with an opening Hc'to receive a striker or latch keeper '54 when the 'door ap- I i to a channel cross I a preaches closed position. Latch keeper 64 is mounted in any suitable manner on a bracket 85 which, in turn, is welded or otherwise secured to the flanged portion I00 of the refrigerator cabinet. A gasket 66 attached to inner panel ||b provides a seal between the cabinet and door when the door is in closed position.

In operation, when it is desired to open the door to the food compartment, the operator depresses the treadle by engaging any portion of the tread with his toe, and even though pressure is applied inward as well as downward, the construction and arrangement of the tread and the long pivot arm of the treadle is such that the pressure is substantially all resolved into a downward vertical component. This causes the treadle to descend against the action of spring lag; downward movement of the treadle being limited by contact with cushions I30. treadle is depressed, rod 2| and attached hook 22 are pulled vertically downward, causing hook 23 and cable 24 to be pulled vertically downward. This causes bell crank 25 to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, pulling horizontal cable 26 and attached stirrup 43 to the left. In this manner, bolt 48 is pulled to the right, as view in Figs. 7 and 8, and yoke 5| is rotated in a clockwise direction about pivot pin 54 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8. As yoke 5| is rotated, spring 58 is compressed between bolt guide 49 and pivot pin 55 and cams 5|e are moved from in front of cams tile with the result that torsion spring 62 causes trigger 60 to rotate in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8, whereby cams 5|e and 80a cooperate to lock yoke 5| in the cooked position shown in Fig. 8 and energy is stored in compressed spring 58. Also, as trigger 50 is rotated by spring 62, the roller 52 of latch bolt 48 having been drawn clear of latch keeper 64, projection 60d of the trigger bears against the latch keeper and springs the door to partly open position, From this partly open position, the door is swung to fully open position by the person wishing to gain access to the food storage compartment by shoving the door with his elbow or body. If desired, additional springs or other resilient means (not shown) may be providedfor springing the door to partly open position once the latch has been released.

When it is desired to close door II, the doo is swung to closed position whereby latch keeper 64 engages and moves projection 60d of trigger 60. This causes the trigger to be rotated in .a counter-clockwise direction against the resistance of torsion spring 62, during which rotation the lock formed by cams 5|e and 606 is tripped, yoke 5| is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the expansion of compressed spring 58 and bolt 48 is driven home. The energy stored in compressed spring 58 is such that as the bolt is driven home, roller 52 contacts the inclined face 64a of latch 64 and the door is wedged into firm sealing engagement with the cabinet, as is shown by the compression of sealing gasket 68. Any shock that may be produced by the tripping of yoke 5| is absorbed by the rubber cushion d in housing member He.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it obviously may take other forms and be variously applied within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Latch mechanism for a hinged door of a As the 1 cabinet including a latch bolt secured to said door, a treadle mounted on said cabinet and having atread traversing substantially the entire front of said cabinet below said door, means operatively connecting said treadle to said latch bolt, said means including a vertical element operatively connected to said treadle and passing upwardly through said door on the hinged side thereof, and a horizontal element connected at one end to said vertical element and at its opposite end to said latch bolt.

2. A latch mechanism for a hinged door of a refrigerator cabinet including a latch bolt, 9. foot treadle disposed at the lower portion of said cabinet and having a tread that traverses substantially the entire front of said cabinet below said door, a rigid platform pivotally mounted in the lower portion of said cabinet at two sides thereof, means rigidly connecting said foot treadle to said platform, and means operatlvely connecting said foot treadle to said latch bolt.

3. In a latch mechanism for a door of a refrigerator cabinet, a treadle positioned across the frontof said cabinet at the base thereof and having a length of substantially the width of said cabinet, a latch bolt mounted on said door, means operatively connecting said treadle to said latch bolt, said means including a hook connected to said treadle, a second hook normally spaced from but adapted to be actuated by said first hook, and a flexible member connected at one end to said second hook and at its opposite end to said latch bolt.

4. In a latch mechanism for a refrigerator cabinet having upper and lower compartments and a supporting base, said latch mechanism including a latch bolt, a treadle positioned across the front of said cabinet immediately in front of said supporting base and pivotally mounted on two sides of said supporting base, means counter-balancing said treadle, means connecting said treadle to said latch bolt, said last-named means including a rod operatively connected to said treadle and projecting upwardly through the closure member of said lower compartment into the closure member of said upper compartment, and means mounted in the closure member of said upper compartment operatively connected at one end to said rod and at its opposite end to said latch bolt.

5. In a latch mechanism for a refrigerator cabinet having upper and lower compartments, closure membersfor said compartments and a supporting base, said latch mechanism including a latch bolt, a treadle located immediately in front of said supporting base and pivotally mounted on a two sides of said supporting base near the rear thereof, said treadle having a tread 0f substantially the same length as the width of said refrigerator cabinet, said tread being upwardly inclined from the front edge thereof, means counter-balancing said treadle, means connecting said treadle to said latch bolt, said last-named means including a rodoperatively connected to said treadle and projecting upwardly through the closure member of said lower compartment into the closure member of said upper compartment, and a tension member mounted in the closure member of said upper compartment releasably connected foot pressure is removed from said tread whereby the closure member of said upper compartment is free to open.

6. A latch mechanism for a refrigerator cabinet having upper and lower compartments, closure members for said compartments and a supporting base, said latch mechanism including a latch bolt, a treadle including a rigid platform v pivotally mounted to said base near the rear thereof and a tread positioned across the front of said base, means counter-balancing said treadle, means operatively connecting said treadle to said latch bolt, said lastmamed means including a rod operatively connected to said treadle and projecting upwardly through the closure member of said lower compartment into the closure member of said upper compartment, and a flexible member mounted in the closure member of said upper compartment releasably connected at one end to said rod and at its opposite end to said latch bolt, the construction and arrangement being such that said latch is released by foot pressure on any part of said tread and the connection between said treadle and latch is broken by said counter-balancing means when foot pressure is removed from said treadle whereby the closure member of said upper compartment is free to open.

7. In a latch mechanism for a refrigerator cabinet having a hinged door and a supporting base, said latch mechanism including, a treadle pivotally supported on said base and having a tread at the front of said base of substantially the same length as the width of said refrigerator cabinet, a spring-pressed latch bolt and a trigger therefor mounted in said door, means operatively connecting said latch bolt to said treadle, said last-named means including a, slip connection, the construction and arrangement of said latch bolt, said trig- I ing a latch bolt, a treadle, means pivotally mounting said treadle on said cabinet, said means including a shaft rotatably mounted on said cabinet near the rear of the bottom portion at each side thereof and a plurality of members connected to said shaft and projecting to the front of said cabinet upon which said treadle is supported, said treadle having a foot-engaging tread traversing substantially the entire front bottom portion of said cabinet below said door, and means operatively connecting said treadle to said latch bolt.

9. Latch mechanism for a cabinet door including a latch bolt, a treadle operatively connected to said latch bolt, means pivotally mounting said treadle on said cabinet, said last-named means including a rigid platform pivoted to rear portions of said cabinet, said treadle having a tread at the front bottom portion of said cabinet, said, tread traverses substantially the entire front of thecabinet and being upwardly inclined from the front and side edges thereof and located beneath an overhanging portion of said cabinet.

10; Latch mechanism for a cabinet door ineluding a latch bolt, a treadle mounted on said cabinet-and having a tread traversing substantially the entire front of said cabinet below said door, said treadle including a pluralityof members projecting from the front to the rear of said cabinet, means pivotally mounting the rearportion of each of said plurality of members to rear portions of said cabinet, and means forming a flexible connection attached at one end to said treadle and at its opposite end to said latch bolt.

ARTHUR C. S HUART.

.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file-of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

